Here it is: Not a happy camper, given the stakes we blew it they didn’t and we got beaten. That said we have the break and it could not have happened at a better time, as we resembled the walking wounded and we have been very unfair to the 3rds with taking players and then giving them injuries which would and has severely hampered any team.

It was a difficult day all round as the players were a little unsettled with news that Simmo was going to be playing under duress as there was a family bereavement that morning, and we are all very grateful that he played and did well all things considering. We spoke about the effort he was making and we were hopeful that would prove contagious as it can be motivating to see others making an effort.

We made a number of changes and given we got out of jail last week perhaps the players thought that with a couple back in after extended lay-off’s that it would be OK on the day and that the returnees would be able to present us with the necessary firepower to overpower the high flying Old Brighton. Dare I say it after a good start – think again.

It was also disappointing as it was the 100th game of the rowdy one Luke “Coons” Casey a popular, if far too reserved person, so to lose as we did on the day would not be all that positive for him and his team mates. That said given he is a player who perhaps is unaware of his true ability and how good he could be so it may rest in the hands of Luke and others to make sure that this type of disappointing result and performance is an aberration rather than the norm.

And that is the frustrating thing for we made a good start – perhaps we didn’t kick enough in the opening stanza, but sometimes at reserve grade level who does? Sure Old Brighton kicked a goal running the ball into the breeze and all it served to prove was you could kick goals running the ball into the breeze. All the players were reminded of that and given we had some free running players who had started very well there was no real cause for concern.

We were getting some drive out of the middle with Booze getting hands on the ball at the bounces, and Dimma, Georgie and Towie clearing the congestion along with Jez and the Hesse express giving us plenty of run and allowing us to penetrate deep into the forward regions of the ground, but it was perhaps the final ball into the front half that was hurting as it was being repelled far too easily. Still Sam Morwood presented well, took a good mark and went back and slotted a steadying goal, Tom Molan was well and truly on top of his opponent and we were looking OK.

At the initial break the cockroaches spoke and the players listened and it all looked quite good; we used the spare man pretty well, and chipped, charged and then chipped and charged for about 1-0-12 minutes, but ….then we lapsed, and when we lapsed they pounced and got some goals and we retreated into the sheds behind. It was not all bad more disappointing that the players had let themselves down and the body language was not great, and it was hoped that this was a visible sign of being disappointed at letting the good work of the opening 12 minutes slip.

After the half there is only 1 thing to ask – what happened? The run, the carry the use of the ball and the better use of the ball seemed to disappear and Old Brighton were more enthusiastic and they ran and ran the ball into the breeze and scored goal after goal and it was game over and game lost. It was very disappointing and it is these games that we need to win if we harbour any serious ambitions post season.

On the day we were well served by Tom Molan who worked terrifically hard at CHF, Greg Hesse, Georgie Harrison and Dimma along with some cameo’s from Bulldog, Pitch, Towie, and others.

The last saw us stem the tide a little and the run was much better and the results showed as we were also able to kick goals into the breeze and considering they were our only goals after the opening stanza it begs the question – do we need to be in hopeless positions before we recover?

Still the players are tired, we have a young group and they are still adjusting to the rigours of bigger bodies and there were some big solidly built fellas on the opposition and maybe we were not prepared for that.

Well done to Old Brighton – I suppose they are only repaying the complements we served up to them earlier in the season as they were more committed, more determined and it showed.

To the players and the cockroach it is back to the drawing board and back to looking for a solution, otherwise the toe-cutters will replace him with the Pickle.

Our next game is against the improving Old Ivanhoe who stand above in the table and as such it does not get any easier. Can this be said without any sense of being melodramatic – this is a season defining game – Cockroach get it right or get out!!